The Hatching Potion
by Zaunite Koopa
Summary: In the city of Zaun, strange murders have been occurring at the H.I.V.E. labs frequently, cancelling their efforts to create a method to reuse the sewage waste for the good of Zaun. Efforts have been made to track the murderer down, but all efforts have only lead to more corpses down in the tunnels below. ZAC, against his parent's wishes, tries to find the "phantom of the sewers"
1. Only A Witness

It was finally about to start. It was finally about to be unveiled. H.I.V.E's little project. I sneaked a peek at it of course. Being a blob does have its uses. It was a machine deep in the sewers. It's structure similar to the vents. A filter? Something to clean the waters? That would be nice.. Mom and dad would love it! Sump water wasn't always sanitary. Weird stuff is always in there. Dead rats. Weird chemicals. Heck I was born from the things found in there..

A small group of people came to sit in front of a stage with a large projector at the front. Mainly financiers and reporters and the like with their fancy augmentations and notepads. I sit in the crack behind them, witnessing what could be an important change to the structure of Zaun. The atmosphere is filled with chatter and anticipation. Curiosity with a hint of pessimism.

"What could it be?" they asked.

"Probably some failed experiment."

"Maybe they'll surprise us. Who knows."

Suddenly the small crowd gather in silence as the person finally comes out of the stage, smiling at the joy of finally releasing his new plans.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouts enthusiastically. "Welcome to H.I.V.E. Where we always try to enforce progress for all in the city of Zaun. Where we try to better the world we live in one innovation at a time! And today will be no different! Observe!" He presses the button as he waves his hand dramatically at the screen, revealing what seems to be a large gray machine in the shape of a tube. Above it was its name. "I present to you.. the Bioengineered Sump Filter! We here at H.I.V.E. have found ways to create organisms that would clean our water through eating the chemicals that contaminate it. Through it, we can provide the poor and the poverty stricken the water they need and so much more."

As the man continues to speak, I hear nothing from the audience. Just silence. No hint of fanfare. As if the new machine that was heard was only a fad. How could it be? The speaker is right! This could help everyone. I should know. I've seen it myself. I try to scan the audience for instances of my enthusiasm, but all I hear was small whispers of disappointment or suspicions about what really is going on. The whole convention is filled with doubt. Doubt for a simple sewage filtering machine.

As I focus all of my attention to the reaction of the audience, doubtful mumbles turn to screams and running. CRACK! The sound of glass shattering as a dreadful fog begins to encompass the area. People run for what seems like the door in the mist. And then arrows fire. One by one, the thumping of bodies begin to occur. Thump. Thump. Thump. Their fear and desire to live begging me to help. Their screams of anguish crying out loud. I can't let those go unnoticed.

" Time to go big," I mumble. I leap out of the crack and into the fog, making out lost shadows lying on the floor. "No.. No.. I can't be too late!" I kneel down before a one. A black haired man with an augmented arm and lungs. I checked his pulse. Still breathing. Slow breathing, but alive. I check the man next to him. A reporter creeping his hand to a gun. I immediately pin him down. A gunshot would give us away.

"Hey. I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just here to get you out," I said calmly and quietly to the shivering man. More arrow shots occur. More screaming. "Let's get out of here!" I grab both bodies and leap out the door. A whizzing comes by at me. I duck. A volley of arrows piercing through the door. A scream masks my identity of being alive. I look upon the victims. Their gasping for air, coughing up blood. Sensitive to my touch. "Wait here," I said to the 2 as I made my way back in. Time to put an end to all of this. I'm not letting them get away.. No one's murdering on my watch..

I open the door quickly , the noise apparent, but no reaction. I went in the mist, scanning for the shadow that caused it all. I look and look, but no one was there. Everyone was crouching, playing dead if they weren't already. But no killer. "Where is he? Where is he? Where is he?" I mumble angrily as I witness yet another corpse. "Can't let him get away.. I can't.. No.. No.." I run up the stage, and I see the speaker, his eyes replaced with arrows and his body giving out a tingling sense. The blood that spews from his mouth and eyes mix disgustingly with the ooze below him, creating a red-black pool below him. Parts of his arm and leg began to melt in contact with the chemical. I was too late. Not just for him, but for all of them.

Suddenly sirens are heard from outside. It's time for me to leave this wasteland. I quickly grab a stray arrow sticking on the ground and made my way back to my parent's house through the pipe. If this continues... it won't. I know it won't.


	2. Case 711B: The Sewer Scourage

It was a rather quiet morning. Eating cereal with the rest of the family while the news was in the background. The paper hasn't came down over to this level yet. They don't know.

I twirled my spoon nervously in my green hands nervously. I tried to think of something else. Superhero movies. Some zaunite antics that I may or may not have to deal with. Infrastructure that needs to be fixed, but all I see is the body of the owner of the corporation skewered through the eyes and limbs as he rots away in an acidic pool of blood. His one good eye, staring right at me, begging to come out alive.

"So.. how was that unveiling sport? What did they show? Hopefully it's not some con-artist trying to trick people right?" Dad asked, enthusiastically.

"Uh.. yeah. It was something about filtering the sewers," ZAC said uncomfortably. Better to tell them about it now. "Then.. something happened." Suddenly, a small thump was heard from the door.

"Uh.. hold on there bud. I wanna see what's happening." Dad said as he made his way to the door.

Mom looked uncomfortably at ZAC, her face filled with worried. She was always like that when I'm out and about Zaun, but stood quiet. She can tell that whatever it was, it was painful. Best let the news tell it. She always had that trait about her.

"ZAC! Did this happen? A massacre!?" Dad shouted from across the room, stomping his feet as he slammed the newspaper on the table. In the front cover were big emboldened words that said the following: _MYSTERIOUS MASSACRE AT H.I.V.E! MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE DEAD_.

"My god.." My mom gasped.

I try to skim through the entire thing, but it was quickly interrupted by the sound of him slamming his hand on the table.

"Tell me what happened! You.. You could've been killed! The wardens were called at the 10th bell ! You arrived much later!"

"I.. I don't know!" I shouted, waving my arms erratically. " It.. just happened! The poison gas.. People started falling.. And I could barely saved anyone!" I shouted, under pressure. "I.. Just.. I just had to save them!" I start to curl back onto the chair like a turtle trying to hide. "I just wanted to save them as usual.. I couldn't let them die, but.. I did.."

"Sweetie.." my mom cooed. "Even the best heroes can't save everyone.. but this is absurdly dangerous. You should've went home the moment this happened!"

"And let people die? Mom! I have an unbreakable and flexible body! If someone has to fix this, it has to be me! Whoever this guy is, he needs to go, and I'm not gonna let this continue.."

Dad stomped his foot. "No! I refuse to let y-"

Mom quickly signaled him to stop with a hand on his chest. The screaming will get us nowhere at this point. She quickly approached me and guided to my secret room hidden underneath a desk for a private talk. The creaky wooden stairways take us to a room that had rugged stone walls with small pipes and various posters embedding it. Mom looked up to turn on the 1 light bulb hanging above us on a chain. "ZAC.. you know our situation right? You're not just some special snowflake, you're made to be a weapon. You remember those times in the lab don't you?"

"I know!" I huffed, sitting on my makeshift bed made of . "But.. I gotta make use of some of my skills. Can't You always told me that there's good and bad people down here mom. I just want to protect the good ones. Ones like you and dad. We can't those bad guys roaming around right?"

"Yes! I know what I said! But.. you know what else I said. 'Respect what you have before you give to others'. I know how you love to be the giver, always wanting to give people a happy, carefree life, but life isn't like those comic books you read. It's not as simple as 'saving a guy'. These things have consequences, dear. I just don't want you back in the lab again.." She got up from the floor. "Promise me you won't involve yourself in this incident."

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. I remember those times. In a dark cage, only to be experimented on. They won't stop poking me or touching me or torturing me or smashing me... "I... I promise I won't."

"Good.. When you're ready. Come out and join us. I'm sorry but it has to be this way." The stairway creaked as she left. The door opens and closes, and I'm left slamming my body on my bed. "Ugh.. I just.. want to save them. Before something like.. that. Happens again," I sigh as I stare at the poster of Atomic Man hanging over me. What would he do in this situation..?

* * *

A week has passed. 7 days. No news came by. I sneak around at the Warden station near the scene of the crime, but all of it is just normal chit chat. Stuff like "How's your day" and "What's going on?" I wouldn't be so angry about it if it wasn't for the fact that this guy could come up anywhere and kill everyone on the spot. There's no reason to be calm here! Sure they sent a recon team to investigate the situation, but they still haven't found anything. It wasn't long until I leave the area to go to the commercias or cultivairs for relaxation or vent-fixing.

Today was different. When I come in, I heard someone screaming in a walkie talkie.

"Help! We! (Buzz Buzz) It! Found it! But we need help! We (Buzz) This is highly dangerous! Call (Buzz) Backup! (Buzz) It's not (Buzz) It's not (Buzz) The (Buzz... Crack!)"

Everyone was dumbfounded at the device on the box. All that remains were static and, if listen closely, faint breathing. I could let this happen. Not again. I look around the station to find the recon plans. Because it was so recent, it wasn't hard to find it.

Suddenly, a large gargling sound came from the walkie talkie. Someone was trying to speak, but it wasn't like the low voiced original warden. The device may be broken, turning voices into loud, incoherent static screeching, but the tone was not his. It was a lighter tone... A raspier tone... followed by sniffing. And sniffing. And sniffing. The light breathing was still prevalent..

People are sent out immediately to his location, and the lucky few remain in the station for they are not the ones to die this day. They all jump into the dark sewers, not allowing me to see where they were. Where's that location? I sneak over to the desk and try to find it.. but it was too late.

The scream echoed through the halls of the station followed by a static laugh in the distance. The connection died.

The men began to grab the device and scream "RETREAT! RETREAT NOW!" Out of desperation, I grab the map and made my way back to my room. It was a sewer map, but there were many locations they looked at, but one was unchecked. I glance at the golden arrow I picked up at the H.I.V.E. center and then I look up to the poster above my bed. I can't let this happen any longer. A real hero will never let this continue.


	3. Into The Sewers

" _Cops missing after sewage Investigation!"_ the newspaper shouted on the 5th page. I glanced at it uneasily as my father began reading it. I heard it all. The screaming and the horror. It was all so familiar. So similar to the reaction of others towards the criminals he pummel. This time, he wasn't there. at the moment they were killed. He knew Zaun was a cruel place where thugs take to the shadows, but never like this. He could find them out pretty easily. It hurts to imagine their faces as the murderer stroke them down.. Or better yet, tortured alive. Maybe still alive...

"The bodies were never found.." the newspaper read. "The bodies were never found..."

I began to shudder at the thought.

"You doing okay?" my Mom asks. "Looks like you were spooked last night or something."

"Oh! Last night? Just a nightmare about that H.I.V.E. convention," I chuckled nervously. "It just came out of nowhere.."

"Hm.. Such a shame. They cancelled the H.I.V.E. project too it seems," my dad grumble. "The poor saps investigating it got shot and- Ow!" My dad glared at my Mom, annoyed, before glancing at me. "Well.. don't pay attention to that sport. Things like that happen down here all the time."

"But we can try to change that can't we?" I ask. "That's what you guys always taught me."

"Yes pal.. But sometimes our safety needs to come first. You know very well about who you are don't you?" I grow silent after that remark, feeling a pang of guilt in my chest. The baron is probably hunting us down as we speak. My father frowned at my expression of dismay. "Hey... Just.. promise you won't indulge yourself in this ok? I'm just saying that we don't wanna lose you. Am I clear?"

I nod solemnly. "Good.. Well.. Time for me and Mom to go to work." The bell echoes through the canyon outside. 8 rings. 8 rings of the sector 907Z's clock. "Crap.. The 8th bell... Mary! We're gonna be late for the trolley!"

"Coming!" My mom shouted back. She turns to me. "Be safe out there. Don't get yourself in any trouble! Food's in the fridge!"

The door closes. I give them 5 minutes if they came back. 1st minute. No door opening. 3rd minute. No one coming in to find something. 5th minute. The trolley most likely left carrying them. After it was over, I quickly march back down into my room underneath and lifted my bed with my large green arms. Underneath it is the wardens' map of the sewers with their location, a small flashlight, and the arrow found at the H.I.V.E. center. I'm sorry Mom. Dad. But I'm not wasting my powers. I shove the map into my body and look up at the poster of Atomic Man above me. He always tried to make people's lives better. My parents always used their powers to help people. It's time I used mine.

* * *

I enter the manhole swiftly and entered the musty, humid sewers through the pipes. I always felt comfortable down here. The moisture around and the silence of it all is so relaxing to me. No one could find me here, and I was free to relax. Remove the toxic fumes and the darkness down here and it could be a great cultivair, but it wasn't like that all the way through. As I follow the map, seeping through cracks and descending through pipes deeper and deeper into the maze, it grew dark. The shadows loom larger and the colors around me began to blur to a dark gray and black. As I approach the point, the squishing of my substance echoes through the halls. The skittering of the insects around me began to heighten as they ran away. Some crawl onto my skin. A lot of them did with their small hairy legs. I begin to shudder as they scurry along the pipes and cracks. I quickly left the safety of the moldy walls out of disgust only to step on something dry and moldy.. Was it poop? Blood? I grab the flashlight within me and turn it on. It was a weird dried green substance. It didn't look like mold, for it was leaking something red.

I begin to flash the light at the hallway. Shattered glass scattered on the floor. Wiped blood stains everywhere. The faint stench of flesh, mold, and acid became more and more apparent as I slowly approach. Missing arrows can be found sprinkled in the area, the same golden tipped arrows. I take out the map. I'm here. The location where they went missing. They have to be somewhere around here.

As he look around, he heard faint taps on the floor. I turn to the direction of the sound. Tap tap tap, but found nothing. It was just a dark hallway. Probably the leaking of a pipe somewhere around. I look down to the bloodstains and the glass again. They were dragged. The blood made a trail. I followed it briskly with my flashlight.

Tap Tap. Tap. The drops getting faster.

I follow the blood trails to the toxic, acidic water. I shine my light onto it and see distinct shadows underneath the water.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The missing bodies were there. It had to be, lest this guy had more victims. I stretched my arms into the water. I feel the body. His head was frail and his skin soft and swollen, or at least Ithought it was skin. I slowly unearth the body from the pool. His eyes looking up desperately in an attempt to live. His veins were a sickly green and his skin nearly melted. The acidic blood dripping into my hands as the gaze of terror stares into my soul. I drop the body back into the water, stepping back in fright.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

The footsteps go faster. I breathing amplified in the tunnels. It's time to take him down. Time to take him down before he does any more of this! I shined my light at the direction of the footsteps. No one was there, but it still kept going.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Chuckling is heard in the silence. A sinister cackle was heard into the darkness right behind me. I try to turn around, but it's too late. The cask was dropped. The green fog quickly envelops me as I take a defensive stance. My arms and legs slowly grow crusty.. My head foggy.. But I gotta fight. I gott-

The arrow pierces in my skin. Everything seemed to stop as I turn around. I saw a shadow. A hunched shadow, but that was all I saw. The arrows continue to fire and fire and fire and fire. The cackling boomed into the halls as he took delight in my destruction. My body jerked as the arrows went into his skin one by one. First everything seem to feel fuzzy. Then his eyesight went green. My body began to lose energy and stability. I tried throwing my arms at whatever it was, but I couldn't.. The arrows kept going. The poison kept running. Until I couldn't take it anymore... I exploded in a disgusting eruption of acid and goop. My senses numb from the torture. I can barely see anything as the bloblets. My hearing droned out as I tried to make out figures in the darkness.

"What!? Where's the body?" it shouts angrily as it stomps into the darkness. Gotta stay awake. Gotta keep it together. Where's everyone... "Ugh... how dare they!? There — something here..." Gotta.. stay.. awake.. Can't let this guy.. "Hm.. — you'll —– to do!" The murderer grabs me by the antenna. His cold, bloody hands making my skin shudder. His nails biting into my flesh.

"Let's see what this makes..." he cackles dastardly. Everything drones out as his laugh echoes in my pained mind. The bodies. My parents. They were out of my grasp now. I'm sorry guys.


	4. A New Finding

The body blew up.. The blasted human blew up! His shadow exploded in an array of sticky flesh. Served him right! Sneaking around MY kingdom like that! But what about his stuff.. The stuff that now belongs to ME! The stuff that he most likely stole! LIKE EVERY SURFACE DWELLER!

I scurry over to the area, sniffing on the hard humid ground for the scent of blood. Nothing. Nothing! My ingredients.. My sludge.. Now gone somehow! Not even a head or blood. IT WAS A FAKE! I kick the wall in frustration. The feet numb from the pain, but that didn't matter. I quickly move to the crack on the walls where my roachmen, my beloved subjects, lie.

"YOU!" I shout to one, stepping back nervously. He knew what would happen if he talked back to his superior. "Tell the others to search around! Search every aspect of my kingdom! My sewers! Twitch believes we have a stupid human among our midst.. and I want to be the one to skewer him.. No one plays tricks with the first Plague Rat..." The roach nods in agreement before he skitter away to tell his brethren of the demands. I slowly camouflaged to my dark surroundings, looking rapidly left and right, up and down for any signs of the surface-dweller. They're here to ruin everything again! They always do! I know it! At least, I got something for it..

I open my pouch to see what appears to be a series of green blobs. The dummy. Sniff. It wasn't made of rat poison. Sniff. Sniff. Smells like the sludge of home.. but.. different. Weird chemicals.. Could this be..

I jerk my head about rapidly before I leave without a trace. The faster I go to the safety of my beloved lair, the better...

I ran to the center of the sewers and kept my ear up for any signs. Around these deep caverns of mine, the footsteps echo in the distance, giving an indicator of a pesky surface intruder. I raise them up only to hear the comfortable rushing toxic water of bile, feces, and chemicals. The smell always comforts me.. The tunnels grow wider and wider with every step towards my lair. The tunnels then reveal rusty arches. These arches leading to what seems to be the inside of a tower. A tower where all of the sewage runs to the bottom. Where all tunnels end in a green pool of waste. Where all pipes lead to home..

I reveal myself, feeling the comfort of the toxins I sniff, jump into the pool and swam to the inside of a gigantic pipe at the bottom of it. The pipes twist and turn until finally a small, dim, green light is seen above him.. I hop out of the water and steps into the metal bracing of the entrance. The area's a complete mess. Paper and knickknacks strewn about. Books and glass litter the floor. I push all of it away, grabbing a blender from a stack of journals. I look down at my pouch again where the green blobs lie. This will work.. I know it..

Everything was black. The poisons that ache my flesh sucked all of the energy I had. I can't open my eyes. I can't move. All I felt is a hand grabbing me tightly, carelessly, nails digging. I would've fought back. I was in the hands of a killer! The murderer! But.. I couldn't. All I could do was make out small details in the void. The feel of bouncing around in some small containment... Something leathery. But what!? I want to get out.. I just want to get out.. This was a mistake! Mom.. Dad..? Please let this be a dream. Please pinch me. I spoke too soon.

Suddenly, the hand grabs me again, choking my very being. I try to scream, but it was too low. I try to squirm but nothing work. I begin to look at the other perspectives I had, but one by one they were all grabbed. We got shoved into something.. Something metal.. and sharp.. With a weird warm liquid.. So sticky.. Something mushy? Something.. living? Kicking? I felt my skin tingle.. Not good..

I need to get out of here! He's torturing me.. He's holding me hostage! I can't be the captured here. I won't let some villain win! I can be the hero.. If I can just... reform.. We're so close..

The metal blades spin.. and spin.. and spin.. It wrecked havoc upon me.. A sharp pain embodies me! The color of green forming in my eyes.. Was that my blood? In the distance I heard his heinous cackling. He laughs at my torment! I know it! I'll show him.. I just need to reform.. My vision begins to turn green.. The color of what could be considered my blood and flesh.. I can't die here. I won't be another victim!

I can feel my multiple selves, my bloblets, touching each other. The metal chopping us up one by one.. Gotta endure the pain.. Almost there.. Electricity began to surge below me. Smoke turns my skin brittle.. I won't die.. I won't die! Just.. keep it together!

The bloblets become one. When I emerged, the place was filled with electricity and smoke..

* * *

Pain. Pain was all I felt when I was me again. My arms and legs hurt to move... I'm scared to move.. My head felt dizzy at it all. My throat burns as if a fire was building inside of me.. Whatever surged beneath me got to me that time. I can't open my eyes... I can't feel my senses.. I can't talk.. I can't think.. Where was I? Someplace.. empty. Hollow. I could hear my breathing. So hard. So loud.

Suddenly, something wrapped around me. Something furry and sticky. I try to fight back at its grip, but I was severely weakened. "You're.. You're so goopy.." it said in a raspy, out-of-breath voice. "And big.. and tough..." My effort to escape began to dwindle as I heard this creature's voice. It felt.. Happy. Caring. Full of pride. It's rare to see those in Zaun.. Can this guy be the murderer? Is he really?

I slowly open my eyes.. The smoke begins to fade away to reveal what seems to be a mutated rat hugging me sweetly like some teddy bear, digging his head inside my body. It tickled. The plague rat himself.. The stories were true.. The inclination to fight back is immense, but I couldn't. I didn't. I didn't see a murderer or a sociopath of a rat, but.. something that was just happy I was here. That happiness radiated. I just look down at Twitch. Was this really the guy who poisoned everyone.. Who killed a good amount of people..? I don't know.. I just don't know..

Well.. I still have time. Maybe it was someone else down here.


	5. Twitch: The Sewer King

He was just so goopy. His skin and flesh all soft and gooey.. Just like my homemade sludge.. Bounces back and all jumbling. It felt so nice.. Just like home. I don't even notice the smoke fading away or the glass shards that scatter around here. I clutch his body tightly towards mine as he begins to wake up. I finally created it. A subject of my own! It's not another plague rat.. but it will have to do! He doesn't have fur or camouflage abilities like me, but he could still use a weapon, but what to call him...

Suddenly through my embrace, the creature began to move his limbs and tried to walk around, escaping my grasp. I looked up with wide eyes at the creature. All green with yellow eyes looking down at me, somewhat concerned and confused. Now.. now's the time to show my dominance! I can't have my own creation think he's better than his own superior! No.. I must show that immediately! I quickly step back and stare at him straight in the eyes. "Oh! You've finally awoken!" I cackle firmly. "Hehe.. Welcome to my lair! My kingdom! I.. Twitch... king of the sewers.. created you! I'm your creator!" The Goopy one tilts his head, wondering what's going on. I'm losing his attention...

"Hey! That means that you are MY subject! Mine! You'll serve me.. Protect me.. Obey my commands! If you don't, I'll skewer you! And I will! Even if I did created you!" I shout proudly, hand to my crossbow. The blob just step back at the threat, his hands spread apart, ready to stretch them at any point. I took note of this.. I loosen my grip and let my arms drop. "Hm.. But that's only the consequences! Heh.. Just follow me.. and you'll be fine.." The blob begins to open his mouth. Incomprehensible gargled noises come out. It seems like his creation couldn't talk.. No matter! He will just have to work with it. Everything has some use and purpose. He wasn't like the humans that throw things into the sewers just because they can! It probably means he likes me.. I am his creator after all..

"Hehe.. Now.. what to call you.." I said as I approach him, taking his massive hand. I tug it towards my lair as he begins to tug back in response, but to no avail. Seemed like he was weakened. "Hm... I know! Goopy One.. That should be your name! Since you're so goopy.. Hehe.. Now let's go! We have so much to show! You'll need to learn about my ways.."

* * *

I quickly tug the Goopy One towards the direction of my lair. A great mess of journals, glass, and bones around the lair. A place with food on the ground and my best roachmen scurrying around the chains and cracks. "Hehe.. Welcome to my lair!" I exclaim happily, waiting for a reaction. He looks around in awe at my amazing inventory and collections. He even tried to poke one of my best sculptures at the left side! A gum replicate of Rebecca's image. My favorite character! I stop him immediately. "Hey! No touching that! You'll hurt Becky! It's the likeness of when she's in danger of the atrocious humans that try to murder her.. but then Twitch saves her!" I said, posing some. He looked at me confused. "Oh.. I forgot. You don't know it!"

I scurry over to the discarded shelf across the room to find the book. Eventually I found it and flipped to the page. Heh.. Now this is true literature! I went back to the blob who was beginning to touch my cheese cultivation.. "Hey! Stop! Don't ruin Twitch's cheese!" I grumble. "Ugh.. Besides.. you should learn the stories.." I hand him the book. "Well.. of course I made some edits. Humans aren't always bright. They should make the story better..."

The Goopy One begins to read the excerpt while I judge his reactions. First was just one of confusion, trying to make the situation until finally... his face becomes surprised, eyes widened at the events taking place. He was speechless! Well, he can't speak, but I can tell he's speechless! He turns his head towards to me.

"Well.. what do you think..?" I asked.

It took him a while to process the question, but he gave a slow thumbs up, his hand rubbing his neck some.

"Ah! I knew you had good taste!"

He looks up at the chains and sees the roaches roaming around what seems to be a dim lantern. "Ah.. you see them too don't you.. Hehe.. Those! Those are you're fellow subjects! They've served me for so long.." I begin to climb up onto a pile of books and random boxes as I unhook the lantern. The food scraps bowl was becoming empty. I take it out and grab something out of a random box with some instances of food. "Kept me alive.. Scouting for anyone in my domain.. Helped me get through everything! They're great. The best subjects Twitch could ask for! Eventually you'll be like them too.. You'll learn to communicate with them like I do.." I fill the small lantern with only a mere percentage of the scraps of flesh, sludge, and excrement I have. I then hook it back on to the chains. "Do you want a taste of my food?" I ask to him. He nods no, looking like he was about to barf. "Hmph.. Fine! Suit yourself.. Twitch makes the best food."

I whistle slowly, and the skittering becomes louder as they all approach the lantern to feast on whatever Twitch presented them with. The Goopy One stared in shock, trying to process what he was seeing. It was a sight to behold. "Hehe.. Look at them.." I raise my finger at one of the chains, signaling one of the roaches to come. I present him to the Goopy One where he shudder in silence at the sight of a mere bug. "What!? You can't be scared of _him_ ," I scoff. "You'll need to get used to it eventually. These are your subjects.. Your people.. He won't hurt you at all! Heh.." I let the roach jump on his body. At first the Goopy One tried not to move as the roach moved around with his hairy legs. I saw him have the temptation to swat it off, but he resisted. Eventually calming down and playing around with it as the roach begins to dive in his flesh. That.. sounds nice..

I look up at the roaches eating around the dim light source. Eventually one went on the floor and skittered across my feet and going through my fur, eventually landing on my hand. "Oh.. What do you want?" I said. "You know your food's up there right! Twitch isn't gonna share the rest of his leftovers today!" I have the roach perch on my shoulder so he could be within earshot. "Oh... So they're here... What perfect timing.."

I looked to the blob. "Goopy One.. I have something to show you.."

* * *

This had to be some weird dream.. It just had to be. Him having a nice tour of the plague rat's lair who apparently has control of the roaches above.. Makes weird gum sculpture and rather.. scandalous fantasies. A plague rat who feeds his pet roaches and tries to make me his new subject. My throat still remains sore, burning any time he wanted to talk.

Twitch tugs his arm, leading my way to a large desk of some sort. Above it seem to be a wall of numerous blueprints and recipes. The desk, similar to the floor, was littered with glass and bones as well. Possibly from "scientific experiments" similar to what "created" him. On a tilted shelf nearby, he could take note of unidentified rotten corpses in jars.. They seemed to look like rats, but they were so deformed, he didn't know what to say. They seem to be pulsing slowly in the ooze... Some of them have their eyes wide open.. I shudder. Please take me out of here..

The drawer opens. "The humans.. They're here again.." he hisses to himself, somewhat ignoring me. "They always steal my ingredients! My stuff! They don't know when to stop!" He takes out another crossbow, different from his own. "I always wanted to save this for my first sentient subject! The first to actually shoot! But _they_ always get in the way.. Always trying to ruin Twitch's plans and exterminating him.." he grumble knocks the bones away. He turns around, looking at me with his second crossbow in hand. "No one stands in Twitch's way. They.. They should've learned by now!" His frustration begins to disappear as he looks at me. Wickedly. "But.. that's why you're here.. You're here to help me! As my subject.. Subject to the sewer king! The humans.. They want to kill us! Take everything I have! We must kill them before they kill us, more importantly ME!"

I look at the crossbow as he gesture it to me. I step back slowly, nodding rapidly to show that I didn't want to do this. I don't want to kill anyone. I never wanted to kill anyone. I just.. I just wanted to fix the H.I.V.E. situation, but I can't do anything. I don't want to take him down. He doesn't seem evil or cruel.. At least, not to the roaches eating away up there. My body was sore. My throat burning. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't.

The rat stomped his feet. "Ugh.. Don't be scared! The humans are nothing! Twitch kills them all the time because of their stupidity.. They're the ones who _dare_ to enter my domain.. They're the ones who should be skewered! You'll.. You'll see!" He marches around me as he tug my hand back to the outer edges of the lair. A pool of slime and waste leading us outside.

He hands out a jar. "Get in. Now," Twitch commanded. "You'll see their wretchedness Goopy One.. You'll see.."


	6. Intruders

The empty cask was held in front of me as the king demanded my attention. He wishes to have me witness the murder of people that are most likely just lost. His words of hatred pierce through my every being, fueling my anger. My parents weren't evil.. Not all humans were evil.. They never were. Why blame an entire group of people because of something a small portion did..? I would scream.. but nothing would come out. My throat burn. From anger or the poison, it didn't matter. It just burns..

My skin begins to heat up. Keep it together.. My parents always said that even when good and bad people exist, bad people can turn good. Antiheros are always redeemed in comic books; maybe it's the same here, but I can't have him fight now. Maybe if I could spare some time, they could escape. My head began to hurt. The potion's effects were still present, dragging all of my senses down. I only heard the impatient loud echoes of "Get in!" in the lair.

I quickly glance at the floor for something to latch on. Bones, glass, weird unidentifiable objects. Books! I grabbed a book from the messy floor. It was wet with an innate stickiness to it.. Surprisingly warm.. Let's not think about that, I just need a distraction for them. Time for those poor people to get out. I quickly show Twitch the book I found. He quickly peek at the cover. Twitch grew impatient.

"Oh! This!?" Twitch shouted, waving the book in the air. "This is just another one of my great stories! Twitch has many great stories! Stories that he tells to his subjects all the time! But now's not the time for Twitch's stories!" Twitch kicked the book on the floor, landing into its rightful place on a puddle of sludge. "Now's the time to make them! Hehe.. I wonder what the humans steal this time don't you think!? The more we stay.. the more our intruders run! We can't have that in my kingdom can we?" Twitch place the cask down and grabs ZAC's arms. "Come on! I need you to learn how to protect and kill! Protect Twitch and his sewers! I'll read a story if you come.." Twitch squeaks, trying to shove his arm into the cask to no avail. The rat huffed "Grrr... Fine!" Twitch picked up his crossbow and take aimed at his "creation". "GET IN! No more defying my orders! Do it again and I'll skewer!"

The arrow's gleam on the crossbow was enough to force me to go in. In this state, my substance seemed like it would melt, and any blow associated with my antenna could kill him. He wasn't exactly the most stable right now. I quickly put in my green legs into the compact place. Then my chest and my arms, and finally my head. My skin felt uncomfortable with the texture on the glass as it is pressed down on to the surface. Any more subtle movements and I would've cracked the cask right open. If anything, the groaning of the glass began to start.

Crack. Crack. Crack.

The rat's voice and footsteps towards the water was nothing more than an echo in the distance now. Suddenly the scenery turned black as we navigate in the dark water. The light sources that should be embedded in the pipes were cracked and mangled in this area. Only when we get out of the pipe do we see a dim light source at the very surface of the sludge. A very dim light from the surface of the lower sumps of Zaun a million feet away. What loud sounds of violence and society of the lower sump was hidden away by the sound of rushing waste from all levels of Zaun. They were at the deep center of the sewers. Who could be down here..?

Suddenly, the water splashes, and the rushing grew more imminent. Twitch hops out of the water and throws my cask on the ground. The glass shattering my ears as it cracks violently. On one hand, I was happy to finally stretch my limbs, but now my ears rang like crazy. I slowly got up and watched as Twitch peers into a crack in the wall, mumbling to himself as he speaks with another roach.

"Oooh.. 2 of them.. and They're getting deeper and deeper you say.. Closer and closer? Wow they're asking to die aren't they.. Hehe.. Well.. they'll know who owns these sewers? Now we know where they are!" Twitch looks at me and tugs my arm yet again to the direction of the pair. I let him take over, just because I could potentially find a way to protect them. Besides, I don't know how to navigate in this labyrinth, and I might as well have the "king" of the labyrinth help me.

Eventually a voice begins to echo in the distance. A male and a female. "ZAC!?" the woman called out frantically.

"Quiet down!" the male voice grumble. "We don't want to attract anyone down here."

"But there isn't anything! I should've known.. I should've known he would do this!"

Wait.. Mom? Dad? I quickly glance at Twitch as he smiles maniacally at an open shot at 2 shadows in the distance with their flashlights shining about.

"Hehe.. Look at them Goopy One.. Humans never learn.. They're trying to follow me! Exterminate me! But.. they're easy pickings..." Twitch quickly give his second crossbow that he showed to me and throws it upon my chest. "Quickly! Kill them now! Before they run.. You don't have eyes on the side of your head so that means aiming is probably easier for you! Heh.."

I look at the crossbow again and gaze at the shadows in question. I can't do this.

Twitch's head jerked backwards as I place the crossbow on the ground. The weapon was more frail than it looks, its crack echoing in the hollow tunnels. "What are you doing!?" Twitch shouts, trying to fix it desperately.

"You hear that!?" Dad asked.

"I think its him!" Mom replied.

The footsteps come closer and closer as Twitch tried to put the parts together. "They're coming.." Twitch hissed hysterically. "THEY'RE COMMING! Look what you did!?" Twitch growls as he slung his own crossbow off of his back. "Fine! You'll learn my crossbow later.. Twitch can end this!"

The rat looks at the shadows coming closer and closer to him, ready to fall to their face and be looted and thrown into the water with the rest of them. He begins to mutter his mantra. "Aim then shoot. Aim then shoot. Aim then shoot..."

The footsteps grow closer. I hear the string pull. The trigger was about to be pushed. The sounds echoed in his mind as everything slowed down. I can't let anyone die. No one should die. Sorry about this buddy.. I quickly jumped on him as the crossbow fires into the water. The being hit his head as he laid on the concrete unconsciously. Did.. did I kill him? I bent down and slowly reached for his heart and neck. His heart was beating..

I look up slowly to my mom and dad with their flashlights and rifles to see faces of horror and confusion as they looked at the both of us. They knew who the Plague Rat was. Everyone did.. and they see that he still breathes.

My dad quickly grabs his rifle and points at the body as I quickly covered for the rat. The trigger was never pulled.


	7. Control

"What were you doing down there!?" My parents shouted angrily as I begin to wallow in my chair. I didn't know where to start. I glanced at the basement door, my old room where Twitch now sat, all tied up. At least everyone made it out safely.

"You could've been killed! What happened if he actually killed you!"

"But.. But he didn't.." I mumbled. Their anger began to reflect on me. It was burning in my heart. I sigh heavily. "Look.. I was only trying to help. Those people were killed by something! I had to fix it!"

"No you didn't!" My mom shouts. "You didn't have to! There was no reason why you would go down there! You could've been discovered! Killed! My checkup showed instability! In your throat and your arms! One more hit and you would've died!"

I lightly touch my hand and throat. They were still numb. It was still healing. "I.. I just wanted to use my powers! You and dad always make people's lives better! Why can't I!?" I stomp the floor angrily, a dent could be seen. "You always told me to use powers for good.."

"This isn't about what I tell you ZAC!" my Dad yelled. "This is about what really happened! You dissembled from this madman.. You disobeyed your mother's orders, and you brought a maniac to our very house!"

"he's not a maniac! He's.. just lost! He can be changed!" I know that he could've been. If he was a monster, he would've killed me and tortured me. It just seemed like he wanted someone to be around."

My father ran to the kitchen and grab a newspaper and the arrow he found in my body, one of a rusted, bronze rod and a poisonous green arrow head. He slams the newspaper in front of my face and points to the image of the man's face filled with arrows as his flesh melted with the poison below him. Around him were the scattered arrows that missed their target.

"Look at them!" my dad screamed, pointing at the scattered weapons. "Look at them! You know what he did. You know what he did to all of them! And you think you could save him!?" He pierced into my yellow eyes with hate-filled bloodshot ones. "And he even attempted to kill you too.." He touched my right hand slightly. I retracted back in fear and I begin to look into it. There was still a noticeably yellow-brown hue to it, numb with pain. "This isn't the only time he's been seen. He destroyed many sewage reform projects. The plague rat that killed millions. And you want to protect him?

I look away, unable to face the fact that I was wrong. I knew what I felt back there. It wasn't a murderer. It was something else..

"That's it. No more going out!"

"What!?" I shout. "You can't do that! A lot of people are depending on me. You know the ventilation systems here in Zaun! Some of them get rusty and some of them broke y'know! If I don' fix it, it will get worse!"

"And what about everything else ZAC! Everything else you did outside!"

"Ligius..." my mother said. "Let's calm down. Let me handle thi-"

"No! He needs to learn this Mary." He glances at me. "We know that you've been fighting crimes, submerging factories, protecting everyone, everything! Do you know what that does for us. Do you what that does for _him_? The man who found you." My dad pauses for a brief second. "You don't want to go back there don't you.."

"...no," I mumble quietly. My hands began to clench firmly. I have to do this. I don't care what my parents said; if I can't do this, then what use are my powers. I want to see the impact it has. I want to believe it could do more good than harm. I want to see people be happy down here..

"Then you'll understand. No more going out. That's final. You'll thank me later."

"No!" I shout. "You can't just lock me up in here! I know I've messed up a few times out there, but I'm not sitting idle Dad! People die. People die down here. I can hear their screams and terror through my skin pal; I don't want to feel that. I never want to feel that."

" ZAC! This isn't some comic book! This is real life!" my dad shouts. A period of silence befalls on the kitchen. "This is real life in Zaun. In Zaun, people die all the time, and we can't stop it. People can't be reformed in one reading. You need to know that. You need to know that real good.. Now, let's deal with the rat. You don't have to look if you don't want to.."

I stared at him in anger.

"Now.." my dad sighs. "Where's my gu-" Suddenly, we hear the steps whimper below us from the basement. Creak. Creak. Creak. Everyone went silent as they all looked towards the door. Dad looks to the shot gun on the table in the living room, a good 3 feet away from him. The gun could be shot at any moment. Creak. Creak. Creak. It grows louder and louder until finally...

I quickly reach for the light bulb above us and crush it with my bare hands. The burn merely scrap off part of my skin. When the light dims in desperation, I grab my parents and threw them towards the living room left of the basement door. When all went dark, a large slam was heard. I scramble towards the counter for the emergency lantern. Crash! A window shatters in the distance.

"Come on.. Come on.." I whisper rapidly as I open it and lit the inside up. A dim green glow appears in front of me as I look to the distance in the darkness. It all seems like I was alone with only the sound of my breathing and ambient noises accompanying me. I raise it to the basement door; it was blown open.

* * *

Exterminate them.. Exterminate them.. They all deserved to be exterminated. The ones that trap Twitch in here. The ones that tried to capture my subject! I'll show them.. What did they use? They probably darted me. Attempted to poison me. But Twitch didn't feel rat poison what could it be? Doesn't matter. The fact that they tried to bind Twitch to covers shows how little they learned. Luckily I had my bugs.. I'll show them.. I'll show them all!

The roaches tell me of their plan to contain the Goopy One.. Their plan to kill me! ME! My hands twitch in excitement for this moment as I climb the wooden steps. Closer.. and closer.. and CLOSER! My beloved crossbow began to heat up. Exterminate them.. Pierce them.. Skewer them all! Grr!

The door broke from the might of my arrow only to be confronted with a grim darkness. I raise my ears quickly. Movements were heard.. Somewhere towards the left. I quickly shot an arrow. The windows crash. It missed. This was a trick.. A trap! They knew he was coming. Suddenly a green light fades into view, its holder being my loyal subject.

"Goopy One!" Twitch shouts. "You made it out! Quickly, use the light to find them! Twitch told you they were awful! Deceitful! Abominable! The surface is stupid! But Twitch will rule over all of them! They'll pay eventually for their crimes against my kingdom! Come this way! My ears sense them over there.." I said pointing to the left. They're moving quickly.. Let's g-"

"Wait!" The Goopy One commands, grasping my wrist. "I need to tell you something!"

I look at him, aghast. "Wait? You can talk! That's.. T-that's amazing! You can now gasp in awe at my stories! But now is not the time!" I whisper frantically. "We need to kill them before they kill us!"

"They didn't bring you here pal. I... I did." he admits.

"...what?" I asked, surprised.

"Listen.. I thought.. I thought you could change. Humans aren't that bad Twitch, you gotta trust me."

"What.. What are you saying!? Twitch doesn't have to change! You're siding with them!? They're the plague..."

"No.. I'm just.. I don't you killing people anymore. People don't always steal.. and kill.. and lie.. They could do nice stuff too. And-"

Oh no.." I gasp suddenly. "You're brainwashed! The humans got to you!" Suddenly my ears sense the sound of.. locking?

"Twitch! Look out!"

The gun fires. The Goopy One went in front of me. The force pushes him abruptly, forcing me to the ground. I looked at the dim light as the Goopy One begins to puke something out. A relatively large bullet...

"I knew it! I knew you wouldn't leave my side!" Twitch slams the cask on the floor. As the toxins circulate the room, ZAC begins to approach them! And... embraces them? The Goopy One slowly approaches the 2 humans in the corner, forming a sort of bubble around them where the gas wouldn't breach. The lantern falls on the floor, clanking on the concrete.

"What are you doing!? They tried to kill us! You can't"

"Twitch listen!" The Goopy One shouts angrily in a deep voice, deep breaths in between. I shudder nervously. "I.. You're not my creator pal.. but I know you need someone. You're pretty lonely down there.. I can still be your friend.. You need someone to tell stories to. Someone to help you feed roaches."

"Shut up!" I shout angrily, feeling a brief pain inside. It wasn't poison.. It wasn't anything physical. What is it? Make it stop! "They brainwashed you.. Goopy One.. They need to die!"

" No! They don't! But if you kill them; you'll have to kill me. They're my parents, pal."

"Grrr.. No!" I press the trigger. A sharp groan made me step back.

"Get out of the way!" Another one. Another shriek of agony. What was happening? He never had to do this before.. His head began to buzz. His heart began to beat rapidly. What was this curse? I look at the Goopy One's face. He couldn't take it anymore. His skin began to rumble and fizzle heavily as his breaths become more noticeable.

His parents look up to the face in great concern. They slam onto his skin, shouting what I could assume was "NO! STOP!" Words that I heard before, but they somehow mattered more than usual. I lower my crossbow to the floor where the lantern lay and fired. A small explosion appeared in the middle of the house as the lantern blew up and then everything was dark. No fire was made. No massive explosion. No massacres today. Just a diversion for me to leave. Just the way I wanted it.. Nothing was heard in the void as I ran. Absolutely nothing.


	8. The First Tribute

The room went silent as the gas began to dissipate. Smoke filled my home as I quickly transformed into my regular form. I groan as I tried to move. I clutch my chest as the poison's heat engulfed me. Twitch really did a number on me.. More than I was expecting. Speaking of.. where was the little sucker? Well.. that didn't matter. That smoke and cask is gonna be a huge problem. I bent down to my folks to my level. They were coughing hysterically in the darkness, but otherwise unfazed.

"Come on fellas," I said as I bring them on top of my back. "This place isn't any good for you guys. Guess you're staying with me for the night huh?" No response. "Well.. Let's make this quick."

I slowly walk on the glass shards to bring my parents to the safety of the basement. The gas was rising in the air. It wanted to get out. It wouldn't go down. Just.. gotta make sure they're ok. As I made my steps, I felt a hot metal ring underneath my foot. The pain stung my fragile body as I instinctively lifted my legs. I look down. The lantern, all but shattered on its side. I went around it, making my way to the basement, just a couple of feet away. As I walk, I felt the stream of wet footsteps going to the direction opposite of mine. Twitch left.

I settle my parents down on my bed underneath the Atomic Man poster. I scan their bodies. No injuries. No scars. Just a lot of coughing. Hopefully that didn't mean blight.. I think there's some medication upstairs for that. "Hey. You guys okay?" I ask. "Hey.. Sorry about that."

"ZAC.." My mom mumbled her suffering. "You nearly scared me to death. I thought you were going to die. Cough. Cough."

"Well.. I'm alive aren't I?" I chuckle.

"That awful rat.. Cough. Where did he go!?" my dad shouted.

"He left. Away from here, Dad. No need to worry about him anymore."

"Good.. If I see him again, I'll blow his brains out! I'll... I'll!"

"Enough Dad.. Just.. rest. You guys need a breather after today, don't you think? You'll be safe down here. Just stay. I'm gonna check up with something. "

"Wait!" my mom called out. "Cough. Cough. Where are you going, young man? You have no reason to go out."

"I'm.. just gonna check up on Twi-"

"No! No going out! Especially not to see that madman!"

"But he let me go.. He let all of us go mom! I just need to talk with him."

"And blow up? Get killed!?"

"Mom.. Please.. I have to do this. Listen.."

"You mother's right son. No going out! I.. I may be sick, but I can still ground you!"

"Can you guys listen for once! I'm your son!" They stood silent. This was the first time I was ever angry at my parents. My head began to sweat. "His didn't kill you guys because I got in the way. He may come back here again for me.." I grab a golden arrow deep within my body. It could've killed me. He could've added more. I look up at the poster with Atomic Man looking into the skies, prepared to go out in the world. Twitch cared. He cared about me. He wanted me more than anything. He wanted someone to talk to. Someone to help him out. He's crazy, but that can be fixed. Who am I to ignore his call? "I... just gotta make things right. Make things straight for us. I'll be back."

"Wait!" my dad shouted. I stopped to look at him. "Cough. Bring.. Bring the rifle with you. And get some meds first! You're.. you're pretty frail with that... If he attacks.. give him hell. Give him all hell!"

I shudder at the thought, but the thought was a reasonable one. He could kill me. He could make me explode, but to truly see someone's brains get blown by a shotgun. To be responsible of the death of one's life.

"Life isn't all colorful and rainbows Zac.. Life isn't.." my dad sighs in silence. "Sometimes.. we need to make those actions.."

"Ok dad.. I won't let you down." I mumble silently as I walk away. I took the pills and feel my body regenerate. I look to the rifle. "Give him hell," he repeated in my mind. "Give him all hell!" I shudder at I grab the metal end of the rifle and swung it across my back. I open the window and went out into the dark streets of Zaun as the gas escaped with me from the constraints of my home. I took a deep breath as I drop into the sewers, hand on the rifle's cold handle.

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. Step. Step. Step.

Were those steps? I don't know!

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop. Step. Skitter. Step.

Who were they? Answer me! I banged on the concrete wall angrily. A roach comes out in response. "You!" I shout, for the 50th time. "Were there any intruders!?" The roach quickly nods no. "Well.. Keep looking!" I shout. "When Twitch hears something, he's sure of it! GO!" The roach quickly ran away as I glared at the crack. I scurry over to my desk and search for new casks. Weapon. Available for use.. The humans will come! They brainwashed him. They brainwashed my subject good! My subject knows where I live. Knows my weakness! Once they have that information.. they'll exterminate Twitch! But Twitch will exterminate them first! He was wrong.. Wrong to let them brainwash the Goopy One! Wrong to now kill them there! He would've sacrificed for the greater good! I could've made another one! Right?

I open the drawer to find the numerous poisons and casks I use. The very "sentience potions" that failed their task. I grumble as I look through and replace the poison batch on my crossbow. He'll be prepared! Drip. Drop. Step.

I shoot the arrow. It pierced the walls. Drip. Drop. Step. Step.

I shoot the arrow again. All it hit was concrete. "Make it stop! Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"

Suddenly the familiar skittering of roaches came on my feet as I scan the perimeter. Something moved! I jerk my head. I point my crossbow quickly. Firing the trigger... Chink! It barely missed. It almost hit my roachmen by mere inches. "You.. How dare you sneak up on me! Your king!" I bent down slowly and bitterly. "What do you want!?"

"...He's here... Oh.. I knew it! He has those human 'guns' too.. What? With no one else? It's a trap.. I can feel it."

I quickly grab my crossbow. "But.. I can anticipate him! I know where he is.. Hehe.. He can trick me with his goopyness. He can't trick me with that. I.. I can just make another one! After he's dead.. He's... dead.. " I dove into the sewers, repeating those words for what seems to be the first time. "He's.. dead.. He's.. dead.."

* * *

I slowly approach the tunnels, looking left and right with my gun safely in my hands. "Sometimes we need to make those actions," my dad said in my mind as I walk silently. My footsteps echoes in the darkness as I went deeper and deeper. I clutch my chest where he attacked. The medicine was enough to heal me somewhat, but not enough to feel whole again. Not sure if I could go through with this again. The thought was always in my mind. Ugh. My skin tingles with fright. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

The deeper I went down to the sewers, I begin to hear the small quiet skittering of the roaches and insects in the ambient dark. Twitch. I slowed my walking pace and look around, flashing my flashlight all over the place. "Twitch!?" I call out, the tunnel broadcasting my message through the echoes. "You there? It's me.. The.. Goopy One! I.. I just want to talk! Um.. Thanks for sparing me! Huh? You.. You.."

Suddenly, the echoing of footsteps was rapid.. and.. loud. Much louder than the last time he killed me. It all came from in front of me. I look to it, rifle in hand, ready to fire at any moment. I anticipated it quietly, unsure of what to do. What did his arrow sound like? What did it sound like? I remember string sounds.. Something with string.. Was it a ping? A boing? A strum? I didn't know. I need to know. "Twitch!" I shout. "They're not here! Please.. answer.."

"I.. I want to read your stories again. See your sculptures and whatnot. I think they're interesting y'know. I.. wanted to read the one about Twitch and the dragon!"

An ominous silence filled the room. No more footsteps. No more skittering. slowly bent down and place my rifle down on the ground and place it in the water. The metal clanged on the floor. Bringing it was a mistake. "Look. I don't.. I don't want to hurt you. I just.. want to make sure you're ok. I.. brought something for you." I shove my hand into my chest and took out the flurry of arrows he shot in me. "Thought you would like some arrows. Maybe we can start over, sewer king. Start over with some stories and laughs. The roaches we fed. We can start with that. I can be your subject.. your.. friend! I just.. need for you to agree with something.

Twitch slowly revealed himself, squinting in the bright white flash of my light with his crossbow leveled to his eyes, pointing directly at me. "Does.. does that mean you'll stay with Twitch forever? protect him? Be his subject?" he asked slowly.

"I... I'm not yours pal,"

Twitch grew antsy, unsure of what action to take.

"But I could be something more pal. I promise I won't hurt you.. I can help you, but I'm not yours. Just.. know that. I'll just place these down and we could be on our way. No harm done. No foul. Take it as a gift. Tribute. I'll just leave. I hope you're safe pal. I really do. I'll come back. I promise."

I turn the flashlight away from him and head back. I hear the footsteps one last time before I leave and hear the metal rods of the arrows clang together as he grabbed them. The moment he could lift his head, I was gone.


	9. Hidden Away

The house was somewhat contaminated that day. People around the neighborhood had to leave. A gas leak my parents' said. They were escorted out like everyone else. Well, everyone else but the big talking green blob in a hidden basement. Minute by minute, hour by hour, the stomping of feet above me made me shudder, feeling the urge to hide in a loose pipe or crack. I already had the door closed off so they wouldn't know anything suspicious and I overheard that they've found the location of the leak, but the possibility was still there. Well, at least my parents are safe.

I quietly sat on my bed and looked at the files again. I took the map out, the one with the marks of Twitch's domain. The killer that ruined the H.I.V.E. convention and destroyed so many innocents was the one I left unscathed. The paper shakes in my hand as I tried to process this. The memories as I gaze at the map. The gas suffocating... The bodies leaking.. The screams piercing... The radio screaming... and now he left, planning to do it all over again. He left with arrows that even he supplied him with. I lay myself on my bed, map on my face, as I groan in disgust in my actions. I had him. He was right there, in front of my flashlight. I could've attacked first. Killed him. It wouldn't be a fantastic sight, but it was still saving someone. Save all those in the future. Avenges everyone that died to the little rat! Dad wouldn't even been mad about the rifle being thrown in the water. Why was I so stupid? Why was I so naive!? My dad's words still repeated in my head. "Sometimes.. we need to make those actions," I repeated as I took the map from my face and glared at the poster full of dreams and fantasies.

The ceiling being to rumble with how much stomping there was. Above me, the banging became imminent. I had to get out of here, even if mom said that it was too dangerous. I can't be some gift wrapped up in a pretty bow for them. They're supposed to check all of the pipes for this "gas leak". I quickly go to my open pipe and look to see if there's a way out through here. Sadly everything's blown open.. I quickly got out and look around as they feverishly examine this side of the house. I look to the restroom quickly and ran in. The toilet was a sickly dark green color.. Well I can't get sick. Sigh. Here goes! I jump into the toilet and flush myself down the drain.

The toxic water rushes through me as I move and slide into the cramped pipes of Zaun. The pushing became too much. I couldn't control my position. I twist and turn as gravity began to do its work. As I went down, I heard loud creaks and cracks as I went down. Suddenly the size of the pipe grows bigger and bigger and bigger until finally...

SPLASH!

I fall headfirst into the sewage. The rushing behind me stops as I scramble back up to the surface. I swim faster and faster until I could breathe air. Everything was dark. I could barely see the shadow of my hand. I trudge through to the ridge of the tunnel where ground was. I jump up and writhed violent to get all of the toxins out. Well... guess I'm gonna be grounded. Now.. where's the way out of here?

I tried to walk around the sewers, probing around to see something familiar. I'm hoping that it was in a familiar route that I was on when I was searching for Twitch, but everything was shadows to me, and zaun was a great big place. He couldn't have gone that far down though. He just.. had to stick with the walls and move. Just.. go up. That's all I have to do. Just go up..

* * *

Hours have passed as I made my ascent to nothingness. Or was it hours? Usually the bell would signify that... All of the pipes were complete mazes to me. I've never been through any of them. They weren't like air vents and the like. They go up and down and left and right. Water always rushes through them, making it sluggish to go through. Oh.. What can I do? There has to be some way out.. There has to be.

I walk on the humid concrete, ignoring the instances of excrement that I have stepped on. I had better things to worry about. Gotta keep a happy face for this.. Step. Squish. Step. Splat. Step. Crackle. Crackle? Huh? I look underneath my feet. It was a large note, all folded up and everything. There was no way it could've been made accidentally..

I quickly look at the shadows one more time, imagining the entire scene. The pillars were there. The wall. Twitch was once behind him. Only one thing could confirm it..

I quickly stretched my hand into the water. No gun. He was still lost.

I sigh loudly as I quickly took the note and opened it. It was all in large green crayon. I took it close to my face to read the fine print.

 _"Dear Goopy One,_

 _I thank you for tribute. You're the first of many! Ammo like these aren't easy to come by.. Twitch placed a book for you since you liked my stories. They don't have anything about me though! I worked hard on them, and its great someone has taste! Now... hopefully you'll give Twitch better stuff next time.._

 _However, you're not surface. You may say it, but you're not surface. Why do you side with them?_

 _Sincerely, your ruler, Twitch."_

I look back at where I found the letter and grab the book. It was sticky with wrinkled papers. I opened it slowly and felt the pages. Seemed like he was writing ferociously on this one. Pressed hard on the page. I could feel the words on the paper, but can barely make them out. I was surprised. He did this for me? My skin began to heat up slightly at the offer. It was very rare for him to receive gifts like this. No matter how poorly done it was. I look to where I thought I once saw Twitch. No one would be down here. "Twitch?" I said in the darkness. Twitch!?" I shout, more loudly. I listen carefully. The bugs began to skitter around, notifying their master. "Twitch!?" I shout.

After a couple of minutes, I saw Twitch quickly show himself. He recognized my voice and slowly approached me. I could barely make out his shadow. "Oh! Twitch! I.. I.. need help.."

"Goopy One! Did you call me to join my side!" he squeaked.

"Uh.. no. I'm just lost here. Can you.. can you help me out? I.. got your note."

Twitch growls. "Grrr... then answer my question then! On the note!" he shouts, stomping around. "Why.. why join them? You're not surface.. I.. I know surface! You're not.."

"Because.. Because they raised me. They took me in pal. They showed me food.. a nice home.. love. I just wish I can say the same to you.. but it doesn't have to be that way all the time," I replied. No response came from him. "What'cha got there?" I asked, nodding to Twitch's arm deep in a pocket.

"Huh? None of your business! Just.. just your ingredients! I can make another one.."

I step forward. "Well... it ain't easy. Let me tell you that. The surface you keep talking about, they never made me. How about.. you let me help. I think I have some ideas on what I'm made of."

"You'll.. you'll give me that..?" Twitch stuttered in amazement. "That information?"

"I can only make guesses.. but I can help. Shouldn't be that hard. I'm just ooze after all. Only if you help me get out. Promise?" I lend out a hand. Twitch shudders at the gesture. He was scared. Someone's willing to help. His Goopy One was willing to come back, and he was scared, but he knew of the bones and the experiments. Twitch slowly raised his hand to mine.

"If this is a trick.."

"I don't think I'm smart enough to trick buddy. Especially not to you, heh."

Twitch smiled as he quickly grasped the hand and pulled me towards the lair, leading me out of the dark isolated tunnel. He began to mutter excitedly about his numerous plans, mixing and shaking, blending and testing, expecting this to be his best project. It wasn't until the 11th bell into the night I came back.


End file.
